In a bid to fight against foodborne illnesses, or food poisoning, Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has warned people against local substandard breweries. The warning in line with promoting food safety and general public health comes following cases registered in July 2022 to June 2023 where 1,005 cases out of 1,517 were related to unsafe beer made from sorghum, locally known as ikigage. Such local brews including banana juice (umutobe), sorghum brew (ubushera, or ikigage) accounted for 91 and 1,005 cases of foodbourne illnesses, respectively, according to the FDA report. Figures by Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) for foodborne diseases-related cases registered between July 2022 and June 2023 show that Gasabo District has the highest number (381 cases) while Nyamasheke is the lowest with four cases. Nyamagabe, Kicukiro and Huye districts also have high rates with 321, 129 and 160 cases, respectively. ALSO READ: REMA urges regular auto check-ups According to Désire Musangwa, a food and drugs analyst at FDA, “local brew factories which do not meet the food safety standards always grapple with inadequate resources and funds” hence fail to comply with the standards. Musangwa noted that the sub-standard local brewers’ operations pose high risks compared to big brewery factories when it comes to faults in their production, saying that “it is always easy to address the incident when something went wrong within big breweries because they record their supplies.” “Be extremely cautious with these local drinks,” Musangwa warned. Jerome Ndahimana, an officer in charge of the Quality Maturity Model or ‘Zamukana Ubuziranenge’ at Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), noted that cases have declined since 2013 though the journey to ensuring safety continues. There has been a significant change since 2013 in the local brew industry where such cases have declined and most of breweries get S-marks. People should understand that it is necessary to use drinks which are not harmful to their lives, especially locally brewed drinks. Consumers should check their standardization mark and expiry dates,” he warned. Let us be vigilant; check goods before consumption and follow information provided by concerned institutions on food and drinks safety. Speaking to The New Times, Samuel Dusengiyumva, the Mayor of the City of Kigali, said that city authorities ensure the implementation of food safety regulations and standards set by FDA, RSB and Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA), among others. “We have a joint inspection team that oversees the implementation of these guidelines through conducting regular inspections in food establishments, including markets, restaurants, and hotels, among other public places, to ensure compliance with hygiene standards,” he noted. The City of Kigali also conducts regular public health campaigns, according to him, to educate the public about the risks of foodborne diseases and preventive measures through community gatherings, community work, at health centers and other organized campaigns. Always checking the expiration dates and storage instructions for industrial foods, washing hands before handling any food, after using the bathroom or after handling raw meat or eggs, regularly and properly cleaning the kitchen, cutting boards, and utensils, and avoiding street food, are some of the critical health-related recommendations which people residents are encouraged to practice.
